That Reminds Me....rescuing a cook by pram, a Robins legend, and even the final voyage of the Virtue Pettit

That Reminds Me....rescuing a cook by pram, a Robins legend, and even the final voyage of the Virtue Pettit

BEFORE we set sail on yet another voyage of Milford memories, there are a few bits of feedback to bring to your attention.

In last week's trawler corner was the Arthur Cavanagh, and I had a call from Macky Williams, of Haverfordwest, who said he recognised some of her crew, including Jack Sable, Frankie Reynolds and Billy Burgoyne.

He also said how much loves TRM, especially the trawlers, and looks forward to it every week. Cheers Macky.

Chris Sizer rang to say he thought he'd recognised his grandfather in the crew photo, then realised he was mistaken. But he asked if I could include the Milford Marquis one week, which, of course, I will.

Then I had this email from Neyland's Harry Bennett.

"Hello Jeff…talking to some Neyland cousins, we wondered if you have seen a photo of the Virtue Pettit. I've been told that there is one about, and I would like a copy.

“We are related to the original Virtue through the Hackett family.

“I like Doug Joyce's memoirs of the Army Cadets, I was in the Neyland group, but a little before Doug. I left to go in the Army in 1948 and was Cadet BSM when I left. I love your TRM."

Many thanks Harry, I think (hope) that this is a photo of the original Virtue Pettit, before her name changed to the Andrew Wilson, and, as promised, I'm including her in this week's TRM trawler corner.

Here are a couple of news cuttings. The first from the WWG of 10th Sept 1965…"Mr. Chester Knapp, a Polish cook on the trawler Virtue Pettit, fell into the docks on Thursday afternoon, while climbing about his boat, and was rescued by workers on the fish market.

“Mr. David Thompson, Observatory Av, Hakin, (a member of Mr Walter Davies' staff) and Mr William John from Coombes Drive (who works for Messrs Larvis), saw the accident, jumped down onto the trawler deck, then onto a painter's pram alongside, pulled it round the ship and lifted Mr. Knapp aboard. It was a tricky operation, as the heavily-built victim was barely conscious, having hit his head before reaching the water.

“Mr Thompson applied artificial respiration, while Dr Keane and the Dock's PC Phillips were quickly on the scene to respond to a 999 call.

“After medical treatment, the injured man was conveyed to the county hospital."

And from the Western Telegraph of 18th April 1984…"One of Milford's few remaining trawlers made her last trip on Monday night…to the breakers yard. The Andrew Wilson, built specially for the port under the name Virtue Pettit in 1959, is to be scrapped by the local firm of K &M Davies at their Milford yard. The work will provide four extra jobs...She made her last fishing trip last May, and on Monday night they raised the Castle Pill rail bridge as the Andrew Wilson edged her way into the graveyard, the first ship to be broken up at Milford since Wards Yard closed many years ago."

As well as the trawler photo, and trying to capture the ominous taste of that Castle Pill graveyard…a place which, throughout the 1950s, we youngsters called home, here's another snap that I hope does the trick.

Another reader who got in touch about the Army Cadets, was Royston Holman, and next week I'm hoping to be able to include a 1940s snap he has kindly given to me.

Now for our teasers, and the answer to last week's was a PREACHER.

Those who got in touch to tell me were…Les Haynes; Pat Farrar; Hoppy Atkinson; Margaret Jones; Joan Earles; Royston Holman; Anne and Jets Llewellyn, and Elinor Jones. Many thanks to all who got in touch.

Here's this week's. Divide 50 by half and add 20.

Last week, in St Katharine’s Church, like so many others, I paid my last respects to Brian Burgoyne, someone who, over the years, I'd got to know over a pint and a laugh in the Waterloo Club…we'd even shared an unforgettable week's holiday in Spain, filled with laughter, lager and lots of fun.

His family's trawler fishing history has been well documented in past TRMs, but he will, of course, be best remembered as a Milford United Robins legend. I've found this old snap from his younger days. Condolences to Veronica and all the family…there will never be another Brian Burgoyne.

Now it's time to sail into the horizon…I was reading recently, about the group which believes the Earth is flat. If they're right…I'll probably fall over the edge…some people think I already have! If I'm not here next week…you'll know why!

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